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After a month of fantastic wrestling, it is down to the final four shows of the G1 Climax 30. Night 16 would see the B Block in action, with nine out of the ten competitors still in play. However, victories for certain stars would eliminate wrestlers from winning the block on this night.
The headline match for the evening would be Hiroshi Tanahashi versus SANADA, with the LIJ member still alive to win based on tiebreakers. B Block leader EVIL faced off against Hirooki Goto. The IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito could also win the block, but he would have to win out, including on this night against Toru Yano. The other B Block matches would see Zack Sabre Jr. against Juice Robinson and KENTA meeting YOSHI-HASHI.
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There was a limited capacity crowd in the newly-opened Yokohama Budokan in Kanagawa. Our B Block standings heading into the G1 Climax 30 Night 16 are:
- EVIL, Tetsuya Naito (5-2)
- Hirooki Goto, Zack Sabre Jr, SANADA (4-3)
- KENTA, Juice Robinson, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano (3-4)
- YOSHI-HASHI (1-6) *eliminated
The "Matches To Watch" for this event were:
- SANADA vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
The opening contest for G1 Climax 30 Night 16 was once again from the New Japan dojo trainees in the "unofficial" C Block.
G1 Climax 30 Night 16: Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji
The action started off with Young Lions, Yuya Uemura facing Yota Tsuji. Uemura won their last meeting on G1 Climax 30 Night 13 following a time limit draw before that match.
We got grappling for position to start this G1 Climax 30 opening match. Uemura got the upper hand by working over the arm. He hit a hip toss and locked on a key lock. Tsuji used his power to slam out of the key lock. He followed with a big splash for a two count. Uemura scrambled to the ropes to avoid the Boston Crab.
Uemura once again got control using a judo throw and applying an armbar. Tsuji reversed the double underhook suplex into the Boston Crab. Tsuji transitioned into a cloverleaf, but Uemura made it to the ropes. The two men traded strikes until Tsuji hits a spear. He followed with the Giant Swing into the Boston Crab to get the submission win in eight minutes. Yota Tsuji got his fifth win and two more points in the C Block of the G1 Climax 30.
That was a solid contest to kick festivities off on this night. The Young Lions continue to deliver on this G1 Climax 30 tour.
Results: Yota Tsuji defeats Yuya Uemura via submission
Star Rating: ***
G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: YOSHI-HASHI (1-6) vs. KENTA (3-4)
The B Block opener for this show was YOSHI-HASHI facing KENTA. HASHI stood at 1-6 following a loss to Goto, while KENTA came in at 3-4 following a win over Yano on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. KENTA won their previous meeting for the NEVER Openweight Title last year at Fighting Spirit Unleashed in New York. Both men were pretty much eliminated from winning the block at this point.
KENTA seemed mesmerized by HASHI's stick before the bell. We got a fast start to this G1 Climax 30 encounter with YOSHI-HASHI getting control with a running blockbuster. KENTA grabbed HASHI's stick, which caused him to come to the outside, where KENTA took over.
Back in the ring, KENTA worked over HASHI's arm. The two men traded strikes until KENTA attacked the arm. HASHI regained the advantage until KENTA once again cut him off with a powerslam. He then hit his tornado DDT onto the top rope and followed with the flying clothesline.
We got another strike exchange in this G1 Climax 30 contest, which ended with KENTA hitting his corner dropkick. He quickly followed with the top rope double stomp. HASHI reversed a strike into a side kick. He followed with a running Liger Bomb for a near fall. HASHI then applied the Butterfly Lock. He transitioned into a sleeper hold and then a backcracker. KENTA avoided the running Meteora and looked for Game Over, but HASHI made it to the ropes.
We got another strike exchange until KENTA went for the Go To Sleep, but HASHI reversed into a DDT. HASHI followed with a dragon suplex and lariat combo for a near fall. He then hit a Kumagoroshi for a two count. The two men traded strikes again until KENTA reversed Kharma into Game Over. After some resistance, HASHI finally submitted to give KENTA the win in nearly 18 minutes. KENTA got his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
That was a very good contest that was highly competitive and entertaining throughout. HASHI has had an impressive run of matches in the G1 Climax 30, in which he has really raised his stock.
Results: KENTA (8) defeats YOSHI-HASHI (2) via submission
Star Rating: ***1/2
G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (4-3) vs. Juice Robinson (3-4)
The next B Block match was Juice Robinson meeting Zack Sabre Jr. Juice came in at 3-4 following a loss to SANADA, while ZSJ stood at 4-3 following a win over HASHI on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. Zack was 2-0 in his last two meetings against Juice.
We got a wrist control battle to start this G1 Climax 30 match, with Juice taking the advantage. This was followed by a series of counters leading to Juice hitting an atomic drop and Russian leg sweep. Zack reversed a senton into a cross armbreaker to finally get the upper hand. Sabre Jr then further worked over the left arm.
Juice tried to regain control in this G1 Climax 30 contest, but ZSJ went back to the arm every single time. Juice avoided an arm wrench and hit a senton. He then rallied up the crowd for the Juice combo. ZSJ avoided the Left Hand of God but ran into a spinebuster. After a battle on the top rope, ZSJ came off the middle rope into a guillotine. He then transitioned into a choke and then a Kimura lock until Juice made it to the ropes.
Zack reversed a gutbuster into two penalty kicks. He followed with a tornado DDT from the middle rope for a near fall. Zack then transitioned into the cross armbreaker again. He transitioned again into a triangle choke. Juice tried powering out, dropping ZSJ on his neck, but he kept on the submission. Juice finally powerbombed his way out for a near fall.
Juice hit the cannonball in the corner. ZSJ then reversed the Pulp Friction into an Octopus Hold, but Juice countered with a gutbuster for a two count. We got a series of reversals, which ended with Juice hitting the Left Hand of God. ZSJ reversed Pulp Friction into a pinning combination, but Juice reversed that into one of his own. Finally, ZSJ got the European Clutch for the pinfall win in under 15 minutes. ZSJ gets his fifth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. Juice is eliminated.
That was a technically sound affair filled with smooth sequences. The only blip had to be Zack landing awkwardly on his neck. Other than that, everything in this G1 Climax 30 match looked good.
Results: Zack Sabre Jr. (10) defeats Juice Robinson (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
***Intermission followed***
G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: Toru Yano (3-4) vs. Tetsuya Naito (5-2)
B Block action resumed with KOPW 2020 Toru Yano versus IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito. Yano came in at 3-4 following a loss to KENTA, while Naito stood at 5-2 following his loss to EVIL on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. Naito holds a 6-3 record against Yano, mostly in G1 matches.
Yano was quite excited during Naito's entrance telling him to hurry, which made the champion take even longer. Both men stall to kick off this G1 Climax 30 contest. Yano raked out a lockup and got rolled up by Naito for a near fall. Yano stalled on the outside after being caught off guard.
Naito stomped on Yano after he entered the ring. Yano ducked Naito, sending him to the floor. He then did Naito's fake dive and did his own pose. Both men removed corner mats, with Yano doing it faster to hit Naito with it. Naito caught Yano trying to use the tape, but Yano reversed a whip into the guardrail. He then used hand sanitizer on Naito and taped him to Tsuji in between the guardrail before returning to the ring. Tsuji somehow made his way through the guardrail and Naito got back with Tsuji in before the 20 count.
After knocking down Yano, Naito freed himself from Tsuji and slammed him into Yano. Yano used a low blow and looked for a rollup, but Naito reversed using the referee. Naito did an atomic drop into a low blow with the ref down and rolled up Yano for the win in eight minutes. Tetsuya Naito got his sixth win and became the first to 12 points in the B Block of the G1 Climax 30. Yano is officially eliminated.
That G1 Climax 30 match was low on actual wrestling and high on comedy.
Results: Tetsuya Naito (12) defeats Toru Yano (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: **
G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: Hirooki Goto (4-3) vs. EVIL (5-2)
Our semi-main event of the evening was Hirooki Goto facing EVIL. Goto stood at 4-3 following a win over Tanahashi, while EVIL came in at 5-2 following a win over Naito on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. Goto owned a 3-2 record against EVIL coming in.
Both men traded headlocks to start this G1 Climax 30 contest. EVIL gained control using his chair homerun on Goto on the floor behind the ref's back. Back in the ring, he removed the corner mat and ran Goto into the exposed turnbuckle twice. Goto was heavily favoring his taped-up arm at this point.
Goto avoided a third whip into the exposed turnbuckle and hit a backdrop driver. He followed with a spinning heel kick in the corner and running bulldog for a two count. EVIL regained control of this G1 Climax 30 encounter and hit a fisherman's buster for a near fall. Goto blocked Darkness Falls and caught EVIL with Ushigoroshi.
EVIL nailed a lariat to regain the advantage of this G1 Climax 30 contest and hit Darkness Falls for a near fall. Goto reversed a lariat into a neckbreaker, which led to both men being down. The two men traded strikes ending with Goto hitting a clothesline sending EVIL to the floor.
Goto then followed with a plancha onto both EVIL and Dick Togo. Back in the ring, Goto hit a diving elbow for a two count. EVIL raked the eyes to avoid GTR. The two men then met each other with lariats before EVIL tried distracting the ref. Dick Togo came in the ring with the choker, but Goto caught him with Ushigoroshi.
Goto then hit a lariat and a mid kick. EVIL blocked GTR, so Goto hit a reverse GTR for a near fall. After a series of reversals, EVIL reversed a lariat into Everything Is EVIL for the win in under 16 minutes. EVIL got his sixth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. Goto is officially eliminated and EVIL needs one more win on Saturday to win the block.
That was a pretty good match. EVIL had less interference than usual and got a relatively clean victory. Now, EVIL just has to win on Saturday to win the entire B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: EVIL (12) defeats Hirooki Goto (8) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/4
G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: SANADA (4-3) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-4)
Our main event of the evening was SANADA facing Hiroshi Tanahashi. SANADA came in at 4-3 following four consecutive wins, while Tanahashi stood at 3-4 following a loss to Goto on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. These two were even in their past meetings.
We got a tentative start to this G1 Climax 30 main event. Both men traded control on the ground with head scissors. Both men then caught the other's foot and exchange counters until Tana hits a low dropkick to the knee. Tanahashi worked over the leg until SANADA regained the upper hand. He did two leap frogs and hit a dropkick to send Tana to the floor. SANADA followed with a plancha before returning to the ring. After reversing a sunset flip attempt, SANADA locked Tanahashi in the Paradise Lock before dropkicking him to break it.
Tanahashi regained the upper hand in this G1 Climax 30 contest with a low dropkick followed by the dragon screw sending SANADA to the floor. The Ace followed with High Fly Flow to the outside. When SANADA got on the apron, Tana hit the dragon screw twice. He then locked on the Texas Cloverleaf until SANADA made it to the ropes.
Tanahashi reversed a TKO into two Twist and Shouts. On the third attempt, SANADA reversed and hit a rope-assisted Twist and Shout. He then followed with a TKO for the near fall. SANADA looked for Skull End to finish this G1 Climax 30 encounter, but Tana broke free. SANADA then hit a springboard dropkick and looked for the Muta-sault. Tanahashi moved, making SANADA tweak his knee and hit a Sling Blade for a near fall.
Tanahashi hit a Tiger Suplex with a bridge for a two count in this G1 Climax 30 main event. He went for High Fly Flow, but SANADA got his knees up that once again hurt him in the process. SANADA then hit the moonsault into the Skull End and got the hooks in. Tana got his head free, but SANADA reapplied. SANADA broke the Skull End and once again went for the Muta-sault, but Tana got his knees up.
Tanahashi hit the dragon screw to a laid-out SANADA twice. He went for the Cloverleaf, but SANADA kicked free. However, Tana reversed a frankensteiner into a Texas Cloverleaf. After a struggle, SANADA made it to the ropes, though. SANADA evaded Sling Blade and looked for a rollup, but Tana reversed into one of his own for a near fall. SANADA transitioned that into Skull End, but Tana broke free. Tanahashi hit a curtain call and then the Sling Blade. SANADA caught Tana mid-air on the High Fly Flow into a TKO. He followed with the Muta-sault twice for the win in under 29 minutes. SANADA got his fifth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
That was a fantastic encounter that peaked at just the right time. Both men have excellent chemistry, which created a memorable matchup here. SANADA continued his winning streak and now needs a Naito loss, followed by a win over EVIL on Saturday to win the B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: SANADA (10) defeats Hiroshi Tanahashi (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****
